The 2017 International Home + Housewares Show sold out in late December, more than 11 weeks before opening day, according to the International Housewares Association, the Show’s owner and operator. The Show begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 18 and closes at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21.

“We have exceeded last year’s exhibit space square footage, a continued sign of how important this world-class marketplace is to IHA member suppliers,” said Phil Brandl, IHA president & CEO. “We look forward to bringing the industry together at the premier housewares trade event.”

The Show will host more than 2,200 exhibitors from around the world, including 400 new companies exhibiting for the first time.

Among the first-time companies and well-known suppliers returning after an absence are:

• Dine + Décor Expo: C & F Enterprises Inc., Craft A Brew LLC, Housekeeper Crockery, iSi North America, Koopman, Loftin Oysters, LotusGrill GmbH, Maxili Les Artistes, Nest Homeware, Sitram, Unitam – Ameditam
• Discover Design Expo:  3Sprout, Bredemeijer, Comfort Research, Hasegawa, Luckies of London, Nashi Home, Palm Products, S’ip by S’well, Sophistiplate, Stackers and Stelton
• Wired + Well Expo: ACIGI Relaxation, Daewoo, Friedrich Air Conditioning, iFavine, Jinsung Hitech Co., Nadair International, Neuera Enterprises, Canada, Pico Brew, SNOOZ, Southern Telecom and Unilution
• Clean + Contain Expo: Balthazar & Brisco, Curver / Keter North America, Hang A Bunch, LLC, Molly’s Suds, LLC, Rust-Oleum Corporation, WD-40 and Xangar

This year the Show will feature a special emphasis on the smart home and connected products with the new IHA Smart Home Pavilion, several educational seminars and exhibitor Smart Home signage. The IHA Smart Home Pavilion, located in the Hall of Global Innovation in the Lakeside Center, will display brands and products from new and experienced housewares companies. Tech experts Mike Wolf, curator of the Smart Kitchen Summit, and Carley Knobloch, digital lifestyle expert, will be at the pavilion to answer questions and discuss the emerging technology and trends.

At noon on Sunday, March 19, Wolf will moderate a panel of tech experts and suppliers during the keynote session, “How the Smart Home is Disrupting Housewares (And What to Do About It)” in Room S100, Level 1, South Building. Several sessions in the Innovation Theater, located in E350 in the Hall of Global Innovation, will explore the growing importance of smart and connected products in the home.

Also new this year is the Excellence in Booth Design Award honoring exhibitors for their booth presentation. Based on creativity in design, merchandising and messaging, one overall winner and two winners from each Expo will be awarded.

The Discover Design Expo returns to its new location in the North Building and will feature nearly 200 companies and brands from all Show categories, along with Design Debut, which allows 11 new-to-the-Show exhibitors whose product demonstrates high-design and innovation to come and experience the International Home + Housewares Show without having to create an entire display. A Toast to the Trends reception on Sunday from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. will give buyers and news media attendees an opportunity to mingle with Discover Design exhibitors.

Other Show highlights include an expanded New Exhibitor Preview opening at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning before the Show opens; the Hall of Global Innovation featuring the Show’s special exhibits, including Pantone ColorWatch, IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) and the IHA Student Design Competition; the Innovation Theater with 21 presentations exploring important issues including the Internet of Things, global lifestyle trends and age and gender marketing; and the standing-room-only educational keynotes led by IHA’s color expert Leatrice Eiseman and lifestyle guru Tom Mirabile. A Power Hour from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Saturday through Monday offers exhibitors and buyers an opportunity to extend their meetings for an additional hour after the 5:30 Show close.  Appointments for Power Hour are encouraged.

To register for a no-charge Show badge, visit  www.housewares.org. To view the entire Show lineup, download the Show’s mobile app, IH+HS 2017, or visit www.housewares.org and search Housewares Connect 365 to download a complete list of 2017 exhibitors as well as to view floor plans, product catalogs, new product photos and videos and complete company contact information for each exhibitor.